Fuli Gets Sick
by Just4FunFiction
Summary: When Fuli shows up to the Lair feeling sick, Kion puts his foot down. Will Fuli be able to stay put for the day? And will the Guard be okay without her?
1. Ch 1- Not How She Chose To Start The Day

**(A/N: hello everyone, and thank you for deciding to read this. Before I begin, there is something I need to point out. Recently, there have been quite a few comments in the reviews for some of my stories- more specifically, ones where I ship Kion and Fuli. These comments are generally along the lines of 'it shouldn't be Kion and Fuli, it should be Kion and Tiifu, or Kion and Zuri'. I have no problem with people preferring KionxTiifu or KionxZuri, but please don't criticise me for choosing this ship. I use this ship because I feel it is the one that makes sense to me, and the ship that most inspires me. Also, do not point out that this wouldn't happen because A- they are different species, and B- they are cubs. Remember, this is fan-created literature of a fictional cartoon, so this sort of thing doesn't really apply. Please just allow me to enjoy doing this.**

 **I'm sorry to have to rant about this, but it has been bothering me for a while now. Be warned- there will be SOME KionxFuli. I appreciate you all taking the time to read my work, and I won't ramble anymore. Please enjoy!)**

The sun was rising in the Pride Lands, the sky clear and a beautiful crescendo of pinks, oranges, yellows and blues. A faint breeze rustled through the luscious green grass, the air beginning to warm from the surprisingly cold night before. All across the lands, animals were starting to wake up, ready to begin the day. In one of the plains, laying within the grass was a cheetah cub by the name of Fuli. As her green eyes began to open following a peaceful sleep, she let out a quiet yawn, before she slowly got to her feet and stretched her legs and back. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes.

'Time to start the day,' she thought to herself. As she started to move, thinking about what her morning hunt would be, she felt herself shiver. 'It's cold this morning!' She thought nothing of it, as she began to roam around, searching for some prey to hunt. After a little bit of searching, she found a gazelle, chewing on the grass peacefully. She licked her lips, before getting low to the ground. 'And so, the hunter stalks her prey,' she thought, slowly slinking towards the gazelle, making as close to no noise as possible. She was soon in pouncing position, but before she could, the gazelle looked up. Fuli held her breath as her prey scanned its surroundings, before resuming to its morning meal.

'Okay… three... two… one…'

"Achoo!" Fuli's sudden sneeze gave away her position, and the gazelle instantly fled from the cheetah, who groaned. "Aww, come on!" She quickly gave chase, not willing to let her catch get away. As she gave chase, she quickly felt herself starting to grow tired. 'What?! I just got up, I shouldn't be tired already!' However, the fatigue she felt soon got to her, despite her attempts to push through it, and she had to stop her chase. The gazelle got away without a second glance- had it looked back, it would have seen that Fuli was slightly shaky on her legs, her joints aching. Her head was aching slightly, and she felt dizzy. "What… what the…" She panted, gathering her breath. "How did that gazelle get away from me?" She laid down again, trying to collect herself. "Why am I acting like this? How are-" Hearing how nasally her voice was, her eyes shot wide. 'No… no, no, no! There is no way I am sick! I haven't been sick in so long, why now!' She shook her head, even though it made her head ache more. "No, I can't be sick," she told herself. "I must have just… slept funny. Yeah, that's it, and the sneeze was because it's still cold! I'm not sick, I'm fine!" She looked towards the sun, which was now fully over the horizon. "Darn! I need to get to the lair to meet the Guard for patrol." She sighed. "Guess that means I'm skipping breakfast."

She decided to head straight to the lair, but rather than run, she had to walk. She hated going slow, especially given that she was known as Fuli the Fastest, but she had to admit that the Pride Lands did look beautiful at this time. Ever since she had encountered Kongwe, Fuli had started to develop a new appreciation for things. Sure, she didn't stop at every single flower like Kongwe or Makini would, but she couldn't help but admire how serene the Pride Lands were at this hour, and how beautiful the sky was when the sun was beginning to rise. The time just seemed to flow by before she reached the Lair of the Guard. Pushing through the vines, she saw that she was the last one to arrive, seeing Kion conversing with Beshte by the water, Ono grooming his feathers while perched on a rock, and Bunga…

'Being Bunga,' she thought with a chuckle.

The honey badger looked over at the cheetah and smiled. "Hey, it's about time you got here!" Bunga exclaimed, alerting the rest of the Guard to her presence.

"Sorry I'm late, guys," Fuli told them, "but I thought that it was a beautiful morning, so I just… took my time for once."

Bunga looked at her quizzically, crossing his arms. "That doesn't sound like something you'd do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She challenged, shooting him a glare.

"Actually, Fuli," Beshte spoke up, looking concerned, "you sound a little… off. Are you feeling alright?"

"Of course I am, Beshte," she told the hippo. "Never better!" Unfortunately for her, she started shivering. "Why is it so cold today?"

Kion, looking at how the cheetah shivered and hearing how she spoke, looked at her, his expression both serious and concerned. "Fuli, you're sick, aren't you?"

"Kion, I'm fine! Seriously!" As soon as she said this, she happened to sneeze. The Guard all saw this, but she just smirked back at them. "That's nothing, just a little sneeze from how cold it is. I assure you, I'm not sick."

Kion didn't believe her one bit. "Ono?" He called to the egret. "Could you check her head?"

"I'm on it!" Ono called back, and before Fuli could argue, he flew down onto her shoulder. Using his left wing, he pressed it against her forehead, before quickly removing it. "No doubt about it, she's got a fever!"

Whilst Ono flew over to Beshte, Kion frowned at his cheetah friend. "Fuli, you shouldn't be here when you're sick. I can't have you on patrol with us like this."

"But, I'm fine!"

Another, slightly louder sneeze halted her. "Fuli, you're clearly not fine! If you go on patrol, and we have to deal with a hyena attack, you could over exert yourself again."

"Or she could sneeze them all away," Bunga suggested to Beshte.

"I don't think now is the time for that, Lil B."

"Plus," Kion continued, ignoring Bunga's joke, "if we need to track someone, you won't be able to find their scent if you have a cold."

"But, Kion-"

"No buts, Fuli! You need to stay here and rest!"

She looked at him in shock. "You can't tell me what to do, Kion! You might be the leader of the Guard, but-"

"I'm not telling you what to do, I'm…" He huffed in irritation, then looked at her. "Can you at least promise me you'll wait here? We're going to find Rafiki and ask him to take a look at your condition."

She groaned. "Fine… I'll wait. But once he's checked on me, I'm gone, you hear?"

"If Rafiki says you can, then fine." Reluctantly, she gave him a nod, so he smiled. "Don't worry, we won't be long. Just stay here and get some rest. We'll be back before you know it."

She rolled her eyes, trying to hide her smile as she muttered, "you better be."

Kion couldn't help but chuckle at her stubbornness, before he turned to face the rest of the Guard. "Alright, guys. Let's go find Rafiki, and then we'll go on patrol."

"See ya later, Fuli!" Bunga called as he followed the Guard out of the cave. Fuli just watched as they left, sighing as she tried to get comfortable.

'This is gonna be a long day.'

* * *

Far away from the cave, inside his tree, Rafiki was cheerily working away, mixing herbs and fruit in a coconut shell, while chanting. "Asante sana, squash banana, wiwi nugu, mimi apana," over and over.

"Rafiki?" He heard a voice call. Stopping his chant and placing the shell on the ground, he grabbed his stick and walked out of his tree, where he saw the Lion Guard coming towards him.

"Ah, Lion Guard!" He greeted, smiling ear to ear. "How nice to see you today!" Straight away, his smile faltered. "Wait a minute." He used his finger to count them, before stating, "there are only four of you today! Where is Fuli?"

"She's not feeling too well today," Beshte explained. "She's feeling sick, so she's waiting back at the lair."

"And we were hoping you could take a look at her, see how bad her condition is," Kion added.

"I see! Well, don't you worry, Rafiki will take a look at her, but I will need my things, and I only have two hands, so you will have to help me! Come inside." He led them into the tree, and began looking around for ingredients. "Describe to me her symptoms, and I will see what I can do."

"Well," Ono explained, "she was sneezing, she said she felt cold and was shivering, even though she had a fever, and her voice sounded nasally."

"Ah. In that case, it is probably just a cold. Not surprising, since last night was especially cold."

"Of course! And since Fuli is a cheetah, she'll have slept out in the open by herself. That explains why only Fuli got sick out of us, because Beshte will have slept in the water, Bunga has extra thick skin to protect him agains the cold, Kion was in the cave with his family, and my flock and I stick together at night for warmth."

"Hevi kabisa… no wonder she got sick."

Rafiki laughed. "Do not worry, young ones- Rafiki knows what to do." He grabbed some bright orange fruit and some coconuts, then turned his head to Ono. "Could you grab the leaves from the top shelf? The darker ones, that is."

"Sure thing, Rafiki!" Ono replied, before flying up and grabbing the leaves with his feet.

"Thank you, Ono." He then took one coconut and looked at Bunga. "Here you go," he said before handing it to the honey badger.

"No problem, Rafiki," he told the mandrill, spinning the coconut on his claw. "I've got this under- WOAH!" He fumbled the coconut, but eventually caught hold of it. He smiled meekly at Rafiki, who was unimpressed. "Control…"

"So I see." He turned to Beshte. "Would you mind carrying my staff?"

"Sure thing, Rafiki."

Whilst Beshte grasped the staff in his mouth, Rafiki turned to Kion. "Okay, Kion. Lead the way."

Kion nodded. "Lion Guard, lets go." Kion led the Guard and Rafiki out of the tree. "So, Rafiki, was it really that cold last night?"

"Yes, it was! It was the coldest night the Pride Lands have seen in more than a few years! Not since before you were born has there been a night so cold!"

"What could have caused this sudden cold?"

"Nobody knows. There are many mysteries about this Earth that we do not know the answers to. All we can do is live our lives and face these mysteries as they come."

As he flew up ahead, Ono's eyes caught something. 'What the…' His eyes zoomed in on a small dust cloud in the distance and, following its path, saw that Fuli was chasing after an antelope. "Hapana…" he groaned.

Kion, hearing this, looked up to the egret. "What is it, Ono?"

"Fuli's left the cave. She's trying to hunt an antelope."

"What?! Which way is she headed?"

"She's currently North of our position, heading West, Kion."

"Alright. Lion Guard, let's move!"

* * *

Fuli slowed to a halt, growling as she tried to gather her breath, her legs aching. "Why is this happening to me?!" She groaned angrily. "Even sick, I am still the fastest animal in the Pride Lands! I shouldn't be failing to catch some lousy antelope!" She huffed. "Could this day get any worse?"

"Fuli!" She heard Kion call out, and her expression instantly went deadpan.

"Of course it could."

The Lion Guard quickly caught up to her, Kion stepping up to her with an irritated look on his face. "Fuli, what are you doing out here?" He told her, his voice cross but not quite angry. "You promised you would stay back at the cave. You PROMISED!"

Fuli, not one to back down, stood up to him. "Yeah, but I was hungry. My morning hunt got away from me earlier, and this antelope just got away from me, so I haven't eaten today. What, I'm supposed to stay there and go hungry? No way!"

"That's not the point, Fuli. Not only did you break your promise to me, but you could have overexerted yourself or worsened your condition."

"But I didn't! You're worrying way too much about me, Kion, I can take care of myself, it's really not that bad!"

"Perhaps not yet," Rafiki spoke up, stepping forward with his usual grin on his face, "but it could if you don't rest! Tell me, when you were chasing the antelope, did you find that you quickly became tired, and your body ached?"

Fuli blushed, embarrassed that Rafiki had rumbled her. "N… n-no…"

"Fuli…" Kion said, looking at her expectantly.

She groaned. "Fine! I'll go stay in the stupid lair," she grumbled.

"Actually, Fuli, I have a better idea."

She raised an eyebrow at the lion cub. "Oh?"


	2. Ch 2- Overprotective?

"You have got to be kidding me," Fuli grumbled. Kion had brought her back to Pride Rock, and asked his mother, Queen Nala, to watch her while the Guard was on patrol, to which she had agreed. "I cannot believe that you're this desperate to make me get some rest."

"I'm sorry, Fuli," Kion apologised, "I just want to make sure you get better. Surely you can't enjoy feeling like this?" She mumbled something that sounded like "traitor" at him, causing him to chuckle. "Come on, Fuli, don't be like that. It's just for one day, you heard what Rafiki said."

"I don't need watching over like a lost cub! I've lasted this long on my own, I can handle being sick by myself." As soon as she said this, however, she sneezed again.

"Tell me, Fuli, the last time you were sick, who looked after you?" Rafiki asked. When she was silent, he laughed. "There is nothing wrong with having someone look after you when you are sick." He cracked one coconut in two, and poured the water from one half into the other, then placed it in front of her. "Drink."

She gave it a sniff before she took a small drink, then cringed at the taste. "That is disgusting!" She spat.

"Yes, coconut water is an acquired taste, but it will make your cold go away quicker."

"Do you have anything to make the taste go away?"

Rafiki smiled at her. "As a matter of fact, I do. Allow me a moment to prepare it."

"I need to get going, so we can begin patrol," Kion told her. "Just stay here and rest up- you'll be fine in no time, knowing what you're like."

"Fine. Go. Leave me here to my boredom."

Kion just rolled his eyes at her. "I'll be back to check on you later, Fuli, okay?"

She pouted. "Okay."

He shook his head, chuckling. "I'll see you later, Fuli."

Once Kion had left to rejoin the rest of the Guard, Rafiki placed another coconut shell in front of Fuli, mixed with the fruit and leaves that he brought with him. She sniffed the shell, then looked at him. "What is this?"

"A small concoction of oranges and leaves. The vitamins and minerals will restore energy and help to fight the illness. Now, drink."

Given how the coconut water tasted, she was reluctant. After lapping up a small amount, she savoured the taste. 'It's… not bad,' she thought. 'Kind of sweet. A lot better than that coconut stuff.' Knowing that she was okay with the taste, she began to drink without her previous inhibition.

"There you go! Now," he grabbed his staff, "I need to be returning. I will send Makini to see how you are feeling later."

"Thank you, Rafiki," Nala thanked the mjuzi.

"It is my pleasure, Queen Nala. Good day to you both."

With that, Rafiki made his way out of the cave. "So, Fuli," Nala asked, turning her gaze to the cheetah, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, your majesty, really," she told the Queen.

Nala just looked at her with a knowing smile, not believing the response in the slightest. "Fuli, you forget that I'm a mother of two. I can tell you're lying. Come on, it's just you and me- Kion's not here, and we won't have to tell him."

"How can you… I mean, I'm not…" She sighed, knowing there really was no point in hiding it. "Not great. Somehow, I feel hot and cold at the same time."

"That'll be the fever. It should go away over time."

"Yeah, I guess. Ugh, this sucks." She realised what she had said, and quickly tried to take it back. "Not being here, I mean, it's just-"

Nala cut her off, laughing in a warm manner that Fuli could tell was not directed at her. "Relax, Fuli, I know exactly what you mean. No one likes being sick, but it's just something we have to deal with, whether you're an adult or just a cub."

"Really? Wow. So, does that mean you've been sick since you were a cub?"

Nala nodded. "Of course, especially when I was having Kiara and Kion. You'll see that if you have cubs of your own someday."

"Huh. Well… I guess I don't feel so bad then."

Nala smiled at this. "I'm glad to hear that. I know that this isn't ideal for you, but-" She was interrupted by a low rumbling sound. Glancing over at Fuli, she saw the cheetah blush and smile nervously. "I take it you weren't able to hunt anything this morning?"

"Y-Yeah," she replied, embarrassed, "they sort of… got away from me."

Nala laughed lightly. "Well, we should still have some leftovers."

"Oh, no, I couldn't. That was your hunt, I wouldn't feel right."

"Nonsense, Fuli. I'll go and fetch them," her expression turned slightly serious, "but you have to promise me that you'll stay here. Are we understood?"

"Yes, your majesty."

Nala nodded, before leaving Fuli alone in the cave. The cheetah sighed to herself. "Guess I might as well try to get comfortable." She lied down in the cave, near enough to the entrance that she could look outside. The breeze that blew in through the entrance made her shiver, followed by a sneeze, so she backed away from the entrance to avoid the breeze, yet somehow the floor was even colder at the back of the cave. "How do lions sleep in here at night?!" Then she remembered what Ono had said earlier:

" _Kion was in the cave with his family."_

Her expression went deadpan at the realisation. "Oh, yeah. Lions don't sleep alone."

Fortunately for Fuli, Nala returned quickly, carrying what was left from a zebra leg which she placed in front of the cheetah. "Here you go, Fuli. I know it's not much, but hopefully it's enough to hold you over for now."

"It's more than enough," Fuli told her, smiling. "Thank you."

Nala smiled back. "You're welcome."

Fuli was going to take a bite, but she hesitated, looking back at the queen. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"By all means, dig in." Fuli didn't need telling twice, as she began to almost voraciously eat away at the leg, getting her fill until her appetite was satisfied. She sat back, sighing happily now that she was full. "Seems you really were hungry!"

Fuli looked back at the bone and blushed again, seeing she had pretty much stripped it clean. "Oops, I, uh… didn't realise."

"It's fine, as long as you eat."

Fuli was about to say something else, but instead, she let out a yawn. "Huh?"

"Sounds like you're tired."

"But, I slept fine last night. I shouldn't be this tired."

"Yes, but your body needs more energy than usual to fight the illness. Why don't you take a nap?"

"I'm fine, I really don't need to take a… achoo!" She sneezed, causing more soft laughter from Nala.

"Fuli, sleep is the best thing for when you are sick. You'll see, the time will just fly past."

"Well… I guess… but I don't want to sleep for too long."

"Don't worry, you won't. I'll make sure you don't sleep too long."

Although she was hesitant about it, she eventually agreed to it. "Alright, I guess it couldn't hurt."

She laid down again, shuffling about in an attempt to get comfortable, before she felt the breeze blow into the cave again. She shivered at how cold it felt, something that did not go unnoticed by Nala. The lioness walked over to Fuli, who looked up before Nala lied down with the cheetah, pulling her towards her chest. Fuli was initially surprised and uncomfortable at what she assumed to be the maternal instinct of the queen, given that she wasn't her actual daughter, but after a few seconds, that surprise was replaced with a wave of warmth washing over her. It calmed the cheetah down, making her grow comfortable and feel peaceful inside, and as she felt her eyes droop sleepily, she began to subconsciously cuddle up against Nala's fur, smiling widely. Nala looked down at the sleeping cheetah, and couldn't help but find it sweet, giving her a smile.

"Sleep tight, Fuli," she whispered into her ear.

* * *

"Okay," Kion spoke to the rest of the Guard, as they neared the Watering Hole, "let's take a quick break." The Guard has been on patrol for a couple of hours since leaving a Pride Rock, and fortunately, things had been peaceful. There had been no hyenas to deal with, no quarrels to settle, and no one to save from danger. As Kion took a drink from the water, he couldn't help but think about Fuli and how she was doing. 'I know this is for her own good,' he reminded himself, 'but I can't help but feel bad for her. She must be miserable up there.'

"Hey, guys!" They all heard a voice call to them. Turning in the direction that the voice came from, and saw that it belonged to Kion's sister, Kiara. The peach-furred lioness cub was coming towards them, accompanied, as always, by Tiifu and Zuri on either side. "What are you guys up to?"

"Hey, Kiara," Kion greeted his sister. "We're just taking a break to cool off before we return to patrol."

"How have things been so far."

"Quite peaceful, actually."

"Then, why are you taking a break if you haven't done anything?" Zuri blurted out.

"Zuri!" Kiara snapped at her friend.

"That's okay, Kiara," Beshte spoke up, stopping any animosity. "Besides, it's better we rest up now in case anything does happen, so that we're ready for it."

"Nicely put, Beshte," Bunga complimented his friend, the hippo wiggling his ears and smiling happily at the compliment.

"Hey, isn't there usually five of you on patrol?" Tiifu pointed out. "Where's Fuli?" It was almost as if she spat the last part, but that went unnoticed.

"Yeah, how come she's not here with you guys?" Kiara asked.

"Fuli's feeling under the weather," Kion explained. "Rafiki thinks she caught something last night, because of how cold it was."

"Oh, that sucks. I hate getting sick."

"Me too."

"So, if she's too sick to go on patrol, where is she?" Zuri asked.

"Mom agreed to look after her for today."

Kiara raised an eyebrow at this. "Why would mom be looking after her? I would have thought that she would be resting by herself."

Kion laughed dryly. "Because when we went to get Rafiki, we caught her sneaking out to try hunt an antelope."

Kiara giggled. "That sounds about right. Still, I'm surprised she agreed to it."

"Again, I don't think 'agreed' is the right word. I know this probably sounds a bit excessive, but I'm just concerned, you know?"

"Of course, Kion. She's your friend, not to mention a part of the Guard, and you want her to get better. She might not like it, but it will help her."

"So, I'm not being overprotective?"

"Well… maybe a little," she told him with a smirk, both lion cubs laughing at this. "Anyway, since we were going to head to Pride Rock after this, maybe I can see how she's doing?"

Kion's eyes lit up as he heard this, accompanied with a big smile. "Really? That would actually be a big help!"

"No problem, Kion."

"Kion!" He heard Ono squawk, flying down from the air. "I just did a check of the nearby areas, and the hyenas are chasing after the zebras!"

"What?! Where are they now!"

"They're heading Eastward towards the Outlands, so we need to get going!"

"Right! Lion Guard, 'til the Pride Lands end!"

"LION GUARD DEFENDS!"

With that, Kion led his Guard in the direction of the hyenas and the zebras, leaving Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri behind, the latter two blinking.

"See you too," Zuri spoke, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Knock it off, Zuri," Kiara told her friend. "You know they didn't mean anything by that, it's their job." Zuri knew she was right, but would never admit it. "Anyway, let's head back to Pride Rock."

Kiara began to walk back to Pride Rock, Tiifu and Zuri following a little bit behind. "I cannot believe we're doing this," Zuri whispered to Tiifu.

"I know, but Kiara wants to, so we have to go along with it," Tiifu replied, even though she wasn't at all enthused about seeing Fuli. "I don't know why Kiara wants to see Fuli so badly, but she does, and she's our best friend, so-"

"Yeah, I know, I know. What I don't get is why Fuli thinks that she can get close to the royal family like that."

"Guys, are you coming?" Kiara called to them. Looking at her, they saw they were quite a bit behind her, so they ran to catch up with Kiara, sticking close to her all the way to Pride Rock. As they climbed up, Kiara was the first to approach the entrance to the cave. Walking in, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that Fuli was still asleep next to Nala, a wide smile still on her face. The queen, who had stayed awake whilst the cheetah slept, turned and smiled upon seeing her daughter.

"Oh, hi, Kiara."


	3. Ch 3- Concerns

"Uh, hi, mom," Kiara spoke as she approached her mother, giving her a smile before she nuzzled her, Nala returning the nuzzle.

"You three are back early," she looked over at Tiifu and Zuri, who quickly smiled at her.

"Yeah, uh, we bumped into Kion and the Guard at the Watering Hole, and he told us that Fuli wasn't feeling well. We were going to come back anyway, so we told him that we would check to see how she was doing."

"That's very sweet of you, Kiara. I'm sure Kion will appreciate that. Though, as you can see, she's asleep right now."

Kiara nodded. "I guess that I'll see how she's doing later then."

Nala noticed how her tone was a little less upbeat than it normally was. "Are you okay, Kiara?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll see you later, mom."

Kiara then took her leave, leading Tiifu and Zuri out of the cave. Nala watched as her daughter left the cave, confused by how she did so almost as soon as she arrived. She wanted to call out for her daughter, but stopped herself, realising that she would wake Fuli if she did. 'Something is wrong with her,' Nala thought to herself, 'but what?' It upset her that she didn't know what the matter was, because that meant she didn't know how she could help. 'If something is bothering her, I wish she would just speak to me about it.' Her thoughts were cast aside for the time being, when she felt that Fuli was starting to stir. She looked down at the cheetah that was cuddled against her and smiled warmly. "Good morning, sleepyhead," she jested.

Fuli yawned lightly before she responded. "How long was I asleep?"

Nala looked outside, looking at how high the sun was in the sky. "Not much more than two hours, less than three for certain."

"That's good."

"How are you feeling? Any better?"

"A little bit, yeah." She opened her eyes, blinking the sleep out of them. When she turned her head, she realised that she was still resting against the lioness' fur. Her eyes shot open as she almost jumped out of the embrace, her cheeks flushing. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-, I mean, I didn't realise that I- great kings, this is embarrassing."

Nala laughed gently. "Fuli, you have no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed of what happened," she explained, calming down the cheetah's hysterics.

"I… I don't?" Nala shook her head in response. "But, I… what I mean is, I'm not your… you know what I mean."

Nala stood up and stepped in front of the cheetah. "Fuli, it's fine, really. Let's not forget, I pulled you towards me because you were shivering from the cold."

Fuli had to admit that she was right- having Nala hold her while she slept did stop her from feeling cold. "I… I guess you're right."

Nala's smile grew. "You see? There's nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, you seemed to be enjoying it."

The cheetah's cheeks grew bright red, accompanied by a very sheepish smile. "M… maybe just a little." The queen laughed again in that same motherly way. "You won't tell Kion about… this… will you?"

"Of course not, Fuli."

This was a weight off of her shoulders, but before Fuli could say anything else, she felt a slight headache because of her. "Queen Nala? Would it be okay if we went to the Watering Hole? I need to stretch my legs, and my head still hurts a little."

Nala nodded straight away. "Of course we can, but you don't need to keep calling me Queen Nala and 'your majesty'. You're one of my son's best friends- just call me Nala, I insist."

"Oh… Okay. Thank you, Nala."

"You're welcome."

So, the two of them left the cave and began to walk down Pride Rock towards the Watering Hole. Unbeknownst to them, Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri had watched them leave.

"Unbelievable," Tiifu spat. "Who does she think she is?"

"Just because she's a part of the Lion Guard, she thinks she can get THAT close to the queen?" Zuri added.

"And she was cuddling next to her, as if it was her mother!"

"It's just sad, isn't it, Kiara?" She looked at her friend, who was just staring in the direction that her mother and Fuli had left, a lost expression on her face. Zuri and Tiifu grew concerned, approaching their friend. "Kiara?" Zuri asked, giving her a nudge. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" Kiara seemed to snap out of her gaze at the nudge, and smiled at her friends. "Yeah, I'm… I'm fine."

This, however, did little to reassure her friends. "You look sad."

"What? No, really, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Kiara, it's okay if you want to talk about it," Tiifu told her. "I'd be sad if I thought someone was trying to take my mom away from me."

"I- what?! You- you don't think that-"All of a sudden, Kiara started laughing. Tiifu and Zuri looked at each other, confused by the sudden outburst, but when they looked back at her, the princess of Pride Rock smiled back at them. "Tiifu, Fuli's not trying to steal my mom from me. Why would you think that?"

"W-Well, she was cuddling with her."

"My mom explained, she was cold because she's not feeling well. It does make sense."

"Yeah, but Fuli's a cheetah!" Zuri butted in.

Kiara's smile dropped instantly, replaced with a curious look on her face. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Tiifu explained before Zuri could say anything, "that Fuli usually sleeps by herself."

"… so?"

"So, it would have been Nala who pulled her towards her, but Fuli would be the one who started the hug. Plus, Nala wouldn't have done that for her if she didn't care for her."

"Yeah, because she's my brother's best friend. Girls, you aren't making sense! Why would Fuli want to steal my mom from me?"

"Maybe because-" Zuri stopped herself when Tiifu quickly shook her head at her. When Kiara looked at the lighter furred of the two, who just smiled back.

"What? What is it?"

"It's nothing, Kiara, really!" Tiifu quickly told her, her smile not faltering. Kiara looked back to Zuri, and she smiled, although not as strongly.

"Yeah, it's… it's nothing."

Although she didn't believe them, Kiara decided to give her best friends the benefit of the doubt. "Okaaaaay. In that case, I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll see you two later, okay?"

"See you later, Kiara!"

* * *

"That's right, Janja, get out of here!" Bunga taunted, watching the hyenas run away.

"Ono, watch them as they head to the Outlands," Kion ordered. "Make sure they don't come back."

"I'm on it!" Ono replied, saluting with his wing before flying off in the direction the hyenas had gone.

Kion nodded as the egret flew away, then turned around to face the zebra leader, Muhimu. "Is everyone okay?"

"We're fine now, Kion," she told the Lion Guard leader, "a little spooked, but we'll calm down."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Beshte asked.

"We were just minding our own business, grazing away at the grass, when all of the sudden, one member of our herd starts yelling to panic and run, and we all did. I didn't even realise at first that it was hyenas we were running from."

"Then, who saw the hyenas?"

"I did," a male zebra spoke up, stepping forward. "My name is Kiume. Thank you for saving us, Lion Guard."

"No problem, Kiume. Can you tell us how you spotted the hyenas?" Kion asked.

"Well, it's like Muhimu said- we were grazing the grass, minding our own business, when suddenly, I spotted a couple of hyenas jump out of a bush a short distance from the herd, which was when I alerted the group."

"Well, you did the right thing. We hope you get back safely."

Kion was about to turn around, when Kiume shouted out, "wait!" The Guard turned their attention back to him. "Before you go, I need to tell you something. It might be just a feeling, but I didn't feel while we were running that they were trying to hunt us."

Muhimu turned to him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure. It could be nothing, but I'd be careful if I were you, Kion."

Kion nodded. "We will. In the meantime, be careful when returning to your home."

"We will," Muhimu told him, "and thank you, once again, for everything you do." She turned to her herd. "Everyone, let's go home."

"See you later, guys!" Bunga shouted, waving as the zebra herd returned to their roaming grounds. "Okay, where to next, Kion?"

"Hold on, Bunga. We need to wait for Ono to come back."

As if on cue, Ono was spotted flying towards them. He flew down to them, landing on Beshte's shoulder. "They went straight back, Kion," Ono reported. "That was… easy."

"Maybe too easy," Kion pondered aloud. "I don't like this. First what Kiume said, now this… also, I didn't spot Janja, Cheezi or Chung among the hyenas. What could Janja be up to?"

"Maybe it's not Janja's clan," Beshte suggested. "We already know one clan that isn't connected to Janja, maybe there are others."

"I hate to shoot your idea down, Beshte, but I recognised some of the hyenas chasing the herd, and I'm pretty sure they were part of Janja's clan," Ono explained.

'Hmm,' Kion thought to himself. "Whatever it is, we need to stay aware. Let's resume patrol for now, but Ono, keep an eye out for the hyenas while we do."

"You got it, Kion."

* * *

Nala and Fuli eventually arrived at the Watering Hole, the sun still high in the sky. As they neared the water, Fuli didn't hesitate in leaning forward for a drink, gently lapping up water. Nala watched for a moment before joining her in drinking from the water. As the queen drank, she couldn't help but think back to earlier. 'Kiara seemed… almost upset when she left the cave,' she wondered. 'But, why? Has something happened?'

"Ahh," Fuli sighed in satisfaction, lifting her head away from the water. "That helped." She looked over at Nala, who had also finished her drink. However, the cheetah noticed that she was still deep in thought. "Nala?" The lioness turned to look at her, apparently breaking her train of thought. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh," she replied, smiling at her, "I'm just thinking Fuli."

Fuli could tell that it was troubling her, so she smiled warmly at the queen. "You know, if it helps, you can talk to me about it. I'd like to help if I can."

"That's sweet of you, Fuli." Her smile faded to a small frown- she was thankful that Fuli was willing to listen, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to help with the matter. "I'm… concerned about Kiara."

Fuli tilted her head slightly. "How come?"

"Well… when I spoke to her earlier, she seemed… kind of upset. I know it might sound silly, but I wish I knew how to talk to her about this."

"I'm sure she would want to talk to you. If it's something important, she will- she might just need time."

"Perhaps," she sighed, looking downcast. "I just wish I knew what was wrong. It's my job as a mother to help my children- if I can't do that, it's almost as if I've failed."

It upset Fuli to hear her say this, and that she even thought this, so she approached her and gently rubbed the top of her paw with her own. Nala looked down at Fuli, who looked back up at her. "Nala, please don't say that. There is no way you could ever fail them as a mother. You're an amazing mother to them, and I truly believe that either of them would tell you the same. Everything will work out, I'm telling you."

Nala was surprised to hear this- despite being a cub still, Fuli sounded so mature. She couldn't help but feel at ease at the cheetah's positive words, smiling. "You know what? I think you're right." Fuli smiled when she said this. "Maybe I am overreacting- it's something mother's do- but I trust my daughter. If she needs to speak about this, she will. Thank you, Fuli. I needed that."

"It was my pleasure."

Nala gave a small chuckle. "I have a feeling you'll be a good mother yourself one day."

Fuli couldn't help but smile at the idea of her as an adult, with cubs of her own. "Maybe… but, if I'm even half as good a mother as you are, I'll be lucky." They both lightly laughed at this. Fuli was about to suggest that they head back to the cave, when she suddenly heard something. Instinctively, she crouched to the ground, ready to pounce.

"What is it, Fuli?" Nala asked out of concern.

"I think someone's nearby," Fuli told her. "Get behind me."

Nala did so, whilst Fuli watched in the direction she heard the sound from, cautious of approaching whoever it was. While she watched in one direction, however, Nala caught movement out of the corner of her eye… heading towards Fuli.

"Look out!"


	4. Ch 4- Ambushed!

Nala jumped in the way as the hyena prepared to pounce on Fuli, using her paw to swipe it away. Fuli turned in time to see another prepare to attack Nala, but the cheetah thwarted it with a leaping tackle that sent it back a few feet. The lioness and the cheetah stood back to back, watching as hyena after hyena began to surround them. Fuli's eyes eventually found one hyena in particular, one she was familiar with, and she scowled angrily.

"Janja," she snarled, "what are you doing here?"

He cackled back at her. "What does it look like we're doing, huh, Fuli?" He sneered. "A little birdy told me that you weren't feeling well…"

'No doubt Mzingo,' she thought.

"… and what better opportunity for us to deal with a little 'pest problem' we've been having? Huh, boys?" The other nine hyenas, Cheezi and Chungu included, all started laughing together. "Of course, since the queen is here, I think we'll take her out first, and once you've watched us take her out, Fuli, we'll do the same to you. It's like Christmas come early!"

"And what makes you think this plan will work, huh?! The Lion Guard will be here shortly, and they will kick your-" She stopped when Janja started laughing again. "What's so funny?!"

"Other than your sick voice?" Fuli growled angrily, seething. "We know that the Lion Guard won't be joining us anytime soon. They've got a little, uh, zebra issue to deal with." Fuli's eyes widened as she realised that Janja had tricked the Guard. 'It's just us, then,' Fuli told herself. "Remind me, boys, what is it zebras always say?"

"Panic and run! Panic and run! Panic and run!" They all started chanting, while Janja's boisterous cackle echoed over it.

"ENOUGH!" Nala shouted, followed by a silencing roar. "I am Queen Nala of the Pride Lands, and you are all trespassing! Leave now, or pay the price!"

The silence remained in the air, tensely, as Nala stared down the leader of the hyena clan… before the hyenas erupted in laughter once more. "You really think you're in a position to make demands?! And I thought these guys were furbrains! This is gonna be fun."

Fuli and Nala looked back and forth between the hyenas, watching to see who would make the first move. "There's too many of them," Nala said quietly to the cheetah. "I don't know how we're going to get out of this."

"We will," Fuli told her in an attempt to reassure the queen. "We just need a plan."

"What we need is help…" Nala's eyes seemed to flash as she thought of an idea. "Fuli, I need you to do exactly what I say."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I'm going to pin one of them down- when I do, run."

"What?! No way, I am not leaving you-"

"We don't have a choice! I'll hold them off while you get help."

"But, what about you? You said it yourself, there's too many of them."

"I know I did, but I also told Kion I would look after you today."

"And I told Kion I would stay with you! When he chose me to be part of the Lion Guard, I swore to protect the Pride Lands, and that includes you!"

"I know, Fuli. That's why I need you to do this."

"But-"

"Fuli…" The cub could hear that motherly tone again. "Do you trust me?"

"I…" She nodded. "I trust you."

"Good, because I'm counting on you. Okay, ready?" Fuli nodded again. "Now!" Nala pounced straight away, pinning one of Janja's goons to the ground. Whilst the rest began to attack her, Fuli used the opening to dive at another hyena, pinning him to the ground before she began to flee the scene.

"She's getting away!" Cheezi shouted.

"Let her run!" Janja ordered. "She may have got away, but the queen's going nowhere! Focus your attack on her!"

'Please, Fuli,' Nala thought, as she began swiping her paws to hold the hyenas back, 'hurry…'

* * *

The Lion Guard were still on patrol, having just saved a family of hyraxes from Makucha near the Backlands. As Ono flew up high, he continued to watch over the Pride Lands, still on edge after the earlier hyena attack. As he scanned the Lands, he spotted a dust cloud up ahead, headed in their direction. Focusing his vision on it, he saw what it was, and groaned. "Hapana… Kion!"

"What is it, Ono?" He asked.

"Fuli's headed towards us, full speed."

Kion frowned, disappointed that Fuli wasn't resting like she should have been. "Again? Fuli…" It didn't take long for Fuli to reach them, slowing to a halt before them, panting to catch her breath. "Fuli, what are you doing? You promised you would stay with my mom."

"I know I did, but-"

"Why can you never stay put?!" He scolded, cutting her off. "I didn't ask my mother to watch you, just for the sake of it!"

"Kion, you don't understand-"

"Fuli, do you not want to get better? You're no good to us if you collapse on patrol!"

"Kion, if you would just listen to me-"

"I don't want to hear it! Would you please just-"

The rest of the Guard gasped in shock, as a resounding slap echoed in the air. Kion stood there, staring in shock at the cheetah who had slapped him, his cheek slowly growing red from the force of the impact. Fuli scowled at him, staring him down and emitting a low growl. "Shut up, Kion, and listen to what I say, because I did not come all the way out here, running so fast that my legs feel shaky, just so you can lecture me! Nala and I were ambushed by hyenas at the Watering Hole!"

"What?!" The others all shouted.

"Where is she now?" Kion asked desperately.

"I think she's still there, holding them off. I wanted to stay with her, but she sent me to get help, so we need to go now!"

"You're right, Fuli. I'm sorry-"

"Save that for later! We've gotta move!" She turned around and started running back in the direction she had come from, shouting "Huwezi!"

"You heard her, guys! We need to go, now! Til the Pride Lands end!"

"LION GUARD DEFENDS!"

* * *

Nala fought bravely against the hyenas, knocking them down left, right and centre, but they didn't stay down for long, and the numbers game soon caught up on her. She was swiping away at one hyena when two more caught her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground. As the rest of the hyenas surrounded her, she looked up to see Janja right in front of her face.

"Say goodnight, your majesty!" Janja taunted. "It's been fun, but sadly, our dance has come to an end, and there's no one who can save you now."

"Think again, Janja!" Fuli shouted defiantly, as she ran in and tackled the leader away from Nala, pinning him to the ground.

Janja looked up in shock. "Fuli?!" He spoke. "What are you doing here?"

She smirked down at the hyena. "Did you really think I would be cowardly enough to leave her behind?"

He noticed that her chest was moving up and down quite rapidly, showing that she was catching her breath. He smirked back at her. "No, I guess not…" He then forced her off of him, before pinning her to the ground, his head close to hers as she looked back at him in surprise. "The sick little cheetah was dumb enough to challenge me after all." Fuli's eyes grew slightly fearful, knowing that she had used all of her energy to get back and help Nala. Janja bared his fangs, ready to use them, and she squinted her eyes shut.

"Zuka Zama!" They heard, as Bunga cannonballed into Janja, knocking him away from Fuli. "Alright, come on, you dumb hyenas! Who's next to get some of this?"

Fuli smirked. 'Same old Bunga,' she thought. Rolling onto her side, she saw that the rest of the Guard were taking care of the rest of the hyenas along with Nala. Fuli smiled, knowing that everything was going to be okay. She tried to get up and help them, but her legs didn't have the strength to get up without feeling extremely wobbly. 'Good thing they can handle it…'

"Twende Kibobo!" Beshte exclaimed bulldozing through three hyenas to knock them into a pile with the others. As Kion tackled Janja onto the pile as well, he, along with the Lion Guard- except Fuli- and Nala stared them down as Janja got to his feet.

"When are you gonna learn?" Bunga told him smugly, smirking with his arms crossed. "You're never gonna beat us, so why bother?"

"You'll see! One day, we'll be running this kingdom, and you'll be nothing!"

"Unfortunately for you, that day isn't today!" Kion replied with authority, stepping in front of his comrades. "Time you went back home." Before anyone could say anything else, Kion got in a firm stance, digging his claws in the ground. As the air blew wildly around him, he summoned all of his strength, before unleashing the Roar Of the Elders. The almighty power the elders gave him through the Roar blew the hyenas all the way to the Outlands, before it ended, and the winds settled down once more. Kion allowed himself to regain composure, muttering "good riddance" to the now missing hyenas, before turning to his mother. "Mom, are you okay?"

She smiled down at Kion, then nuzzled her son, with him returning the nuzzle. "I'm just fine, Kion," she told him, "thanks to you and the Guard. Especially you, Fuli." When she turned to look at the cheetah, she grew concerned. "Fuli!"

As she ran over to Fuli, the rest of the Guard turned and saw that the fastest member of the Guard was still on the ground, and they immediately rushed to her side to check if anything was wrong. "Fuli!" Kion spoke first. "Great kings, are you okay?"

She smiled at him. "I'm fine," she replied. "I'm just… tired."

"She must have used too much energy when running back to help," Ono explained to everyone. "Given that she was feeling ill today, her energy reserves must be lower. How do you feel right now?"

"Like my legs are burning, and if I stand up, I'll just fall right back down again."

Kion looked down guiltily. "Fuli… I'm sorry. I snapped at you when you were only trying to tell me something. I should have listened to you- no, more than that… I should have TRUSTED you. I should have known you wouldn't have come to find us if you didn't think it was important."

Fuli didn't say anything for a couple of seconds, processing what she had just heard, before she laughed lightly. "Yeah, you should have," she joked with him, prodding his shoulder with her paw enough to get him to smile. "But, I forgive you. There's no way you could have known this was happening… but, next time there's a hyena attack, can you guys be on patrol somewhere closer by?"

Everyone laughed at this comment, Fuli included, before the queen stepped forward, looking directly down to the cheetah. "Fuli?"

She looked up when she heard this. "Yes, your majesty?"

Nala smirked. "I thought I told you to call me Nala."

"Oh," she smiled meekly, "right."

"Fuli… I don't know how to thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Don't say that. Besides, it was everyone who beat the hyenas, not just me."

"Actually, Fuli," Beshte spoke up, "if you hadn't found us, we wouldn't have even known the hyenas were attacking. Plus, without you, we might not have been fast enough to stop Janja."

"Yeah, Fuli!" Bunga cheered. "You were unbungalievable!"

Fuli couldn't help but laugh happily at the enthusiasm shown by the honey badge. "Thanks, guys."

"No, Fuli," Nala spoke up, "thank you." Before the cheetah could respond, she felt the queen hug her. Initially surprised, she didn't know what to do, her eyes slightly widened. However, when she felt that warmth and care she had felt earlier, she smiled happily and returned the hug. The two held the hug for a few moments before Nala released it. "Now, then. Let's take you to see Rafiki."

"Yes, Nala."

Fuli started to stand, but Nala used this to lift the cheetah onto her back. Fuli couldn't do anything about it- instead, she simply allowed the queen to carry her to Rafiki, the rest of the Guard following behind. What none of them saw was that, a short distance away, Kiara had been watching. She had only arrived in time to see the hug her mother had given Fuli, so she had no idea about the hyena attack.

'Maybe they were right,' she thought to herself, as she sadly walked towards the Watering Hole. 'I thought I knew Fuli, but… I guess I don't.' She looked down at the surface of the water, looking at her own reflection, only for the image to ripple as her tears fell down onto it. "Was I not enough?"


	5. Ch 5- Trip To The Mjuzi

"Well, looks like the cheetah could not keep still after all!" Rafiki laughed as he saw Nala approaching, still carrying Fuli on her back with the Lion Guard following behind. "Still, It has been a few hours, so you have done better than I expected!"

His chuckle after caused Fuli to blush a bit, but before she could say something, Nala spoke up. "Well, I'm thankful for that," she explained. "Had it not been for her, the hyenas may have gotten me."

This caught his attention. "Hyenas, you say?"

"While the Guard were on patrol earlier, I took Fuli down to the Watering Hole to get something to drink, when we were ambushed by Janja's clan. I sent Fuli to get help while I held them off, and before long, she returned with the Guard not far behind, and they were able to save me before it was too late."

Rafiki grinned widely as he examined the cheetah. "Well, it seems we have a little hero with us!" Fuli's blush grew, now very much visible through her fur, causing him to laugh once more. "No wonder you look so tired, though." He gently lifted her off of Nala's back. "Now, let's see what I can do for you." He carried her towards a small collection of fruits and herbs, placing her down before he began to rummage through them. "Fortunately for you,

Fuli, your cold does not seem so bad now, but I'm still going to have to give you some more coconut water to make sure it stays that way."

Fuli groaned. "Oh, great. Just what I need."

Everyone had a small chuckle at the cheetah's resentment towards the liquid. "Come on, Fuli, it's only there to help you feel better," Beshte commented.

She laughed dryly at the suggestion. "You wouldn't think so with how bad it tastes."

"Well, I'll give you some more orange tea like I did earlier to help fight the flavour."

"Well… okay."

"Very good."

He bashed a coconut against a rock, then cracked it open in his hands. Using one hand to hold her head steady, he aided her in reluctantly glugging down the liquid, and when the shell was empty, he let go, allowing her to recoil in disgust as she desperately spat to try and remove the taste from her tongue.

"C'mon, it can't be that bad, can it?" Bunga teased, smirking with his arms crossed.

Fuli glared at the cocky honey badger. "You're more than welcome to try it for yourself."

"Sure! Hey, Rafiki, can you hit me up with some of that?" Rafiki remained silent, as did the others, as the mjuzi cracked open another coconut, handing one half to Bunga, who quickly drank the liquid. He took a couple of seconds to swig it in his mouth before swallowing… immediately followed by a look of disgust washing over his face. "Okay,

I was wrong!" The others all laughed, Fuli especially, as the bravest of the Guard tried to wipe the flavour off his tongue. "That is evil! I'm gonna need an entire bug platter to get rid of that taste!"

Kion approached Fuli While Bunga continued doing that. "How are you feeling?" He asked, a caring look of concern on his face.

"Honestly? I've been better," she told him, frankly. "But, other than feeling weak if I try to stand, and a minor headache, I don't feel quite as bad as I did this morning."

"Actually, you do look a bit better," Ono pointed out. "Your eyes don't look as watery, and you didn't sneeze between the Watering Hole and here."

"That's probably because it is the middle of the day, so it is warmer now," Rafiki explained, "but it still shows that you are healing." He placed a hand against her forehead for a couple of seconds, then calmly removed it. "Your head feels cooler too. I think you'll be good to go tomorrow, as long as you rest somewhere warm tonight, as the kings have warned it will be another very cold night."

"We can help with that," Nala offered, prompting Fuli to lift her head and look at the queen. "Fuli, you can stay with us tonight. You can eat with us and stay in the cave so you don't get cold."

"Really? I mean, I don't want to impose-"

"It's really no bother, Fuli," Kion assured. "You saved my mother."

"But, Kion, it was us that saved-"

"No." He smiled as he gently shook his head at her. "You saved her. We may have helped to fight off the hyenas, but you stopped them from hurting her… and I couldn't be more grateful for it. So, please, if for no other reason, then at least so I can repay you."

"So WE can repay you," Nala corrected. "Please, Fuli."

Fuli was overwhelmed by the sentiment the two lions showed her. "Gee, you guys… I mean, I… I don't know…"

Nala smirked. "If you don't accept it this way, I'll order you as queen to do it."

Everyone had a good laugh at Nala's joke, before Fuli conceded. "Okay, okay, I'll join you, but just for tonight. Tomorrow, when I'm feeling better, I go back to my usual routine."

Nala simply nodded in response, before looking to Rafiki. "We'll be heading back now. Thank you for your help."

He waved it off. "Not at all, your majesty. My duty is my honour."

"And my family is eternally grateful for it." She gave a bow to Rafiki, which he returned, before she turned around and saw Fuli trying to stand up. "Ah, ah, ah. Don't even bother, Fuli." Before the cheetah could protest, Nala lowered her head and lifted Fuli onto her back, causing her to blush out of embarrassment. "Let's go."

* * *

It was just shy of half an hour before they returned to the base of Pride Rock. "So," Nala asked, "I suppose you will be returning to your patrol, Kion?"

"Right," he replied with a nod. "We just have a few more places to check, and a few more animals to speak with before we finish. Fortunately, they're not far away, so it shouldn't take us too long to be done."

"Okay, Kion. I'll see you when you get back."

"Sure thing, mom." He then turned to Fuli. "You too, Fuli."

"You better be back soon," she jested, with a smirk that he shot back at her.

"I promise."

"Alright, come on, let's going!" Bunga shouted impatiently, tapping his foot on the ground. "I'm waiting!"

Everyone else resisted the temptation to groan, simply resorting to roll their eyes at him, before Kion, Beshte and Ono started to follow after the honey badger, while Nala continued to carry Fuli up Pride Rock. Before they reached the cave of the royal family, they were met with the sight of an adult male lion, with golden fur and a thick, red mane. This lion, none other than King Simba, approached his queen, his amber eyes concerned.

"Nala! Thank goodness," he told her, lightly nuzzling her. "Zazu informed me about the hyena attack, but when I arrived, you were gone. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Simba," she explained. "Thankfully, Fuli here was able to get the Guard and stop them."

He looked to the cheetah resting on Nala's back, a thankful smile on his face. "Well, then,

I owe you my thanks, Fuli. Were it not for you, my wife might not be here right now."

"You don't need to thank me," Fuli told him, "I may not be a hundred percent, but it's still my job to protect the Pride Lands."

"Ah, yes. I heard you weren't feeling well. How are you doing?"

Fuli shrugged. "Not great, but better than I was this morning," she admitted.

"We've just got back from seeing Rafiki," Nala added. "He said that she should be okay tomorrow, as long as she stays somewhere warmer tonight, so I offered for her to stay with us."

"Of course, she can." Simba then smirked. "I'm sure Kion was happy to agree to that as well?" Nala laughed heartily at the idea, Simba laughing as well, while Fuli looked confused at the suggestion. "I'll be back soon. I need to pay a quick visit to Ma Tembo."

"Alright. I'll see you later, sweetie."

While Simba passed them, Nala carried Fuli towards the cave. "So, what did Simba mean about Kion agreeing?"

"Oh, that's just my husband being silly," Nala replied. As they entered the cave, Nala walked further in before leaning down, so she could gently rest the cheetah on the ground. "It's nothing to worry about."

Fuli rolled her eyes. "If you say so."

Nala decided to take the opportunity to lie down as well, having not rested since they went to the Watering Hole. "So, Fuli. I've got a bit of time before me and the other lionesses will go hunting again. Why don't we take the time to… chat?"

Fuli was a little surprised, having not expected to hear that. "Erm… sure, I guess," she responded with an honest smile, which Nala returned. "Do you… have something in mind?"

"Well, not especially, but I would like to get to know you a little better. I know Bunga quite well, since he is family… in a way," Fuli couldn't help but snicker at that comment, "and Beshte's father is a good friend with my husband, so I have had the chance to get to know him a little better as well. You and I haven't really had that chance."

Now that Fuli thought about it, she realised that the mother of two was actually right. "Huh. I… I guess we haven't."

"I know it might seem a bit silly, wanting to get to know my son's friends, but you and the rest of the Guard have a bond that's stronger than just friends. You depend on each other in more ways than most would possibly imagine. Kion has told me on many occasions that he feels that, rather than just friends, you are his family."

"He has?" When Nala nodded, Fuli couldn't help but smile. "That's what I told them too, a long time ago."

"Do you know why you've both said that? … it's because it's true." She leaned forward a bit, so she could look Fuli in the eye. "Which makes you family to me too."

"R-really?" Fuli felt her cheeks heat a little, but her smile didn't falter. "Thank you. That really means a lot."

"Of course, Fuli." She then leaned back to a more comfortable position. "If you like, you can ask me something first."

"Well… would you mind telling me how you and Simba first met?"

* * *

Kiara decided to return to Pride Rock. She had spent the past hour walking around the Pride Lands, hoping to clear her mind of what she had seen down at the Watering Hole. However, just when she had forgotten about it, she approached the entrance to the cave, and could hear Fuli and Nala happily laughing. From what she could hear, they were sharing little stories about each other.

'She's getting to know her,' Kiara thought, frowning. 'Why wouldn't she?'

She silently entered the cave, trying her best to ignore the conversation, but as she lay down, Nala looked over at her daughter with a smile. "Kiara! You're back!" She greeted, standing up to walk over to her daughter. "How was your day?"

"Fine," she dully replied, not even looking at her mother.

Nala looked at her, greatly concerned. "Kiara, are you okay? You look upset."

"I'm fine, just… tired."

The queen didn't truly believe her, and decided to try and press on it. "Kiara, you know you can tell me if something is-"

"Nala?" She heard a voice from outside the cave. Turning, she saw a light-brownish furred lioness, who was part of the hunting party. "We're ready to go when you are."

"I'll be right there." The lioness nodded, before walking away. Nala looked back at Kiara. "I need to go, sweetie. Can we please talk when we get back?" Kiara weakly nodded, still averting her gaze. "Alright. I'll be back soon." She leaned down to give Kiara a nuzzle, but her head moved away upon sensing her mother's attempt. While this did hurt Nala a bit, she knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with her daughter, so she gave up for the time being, and looked over at Fuli. "You'll stay here too, right, Fuli?"

"Yes, Nala." She nodded at the cheetah, before walking away to join her hunting party. Once she was gone, Fuli looked over at Kiara, a confused look on her face. "Okay, What is up with you? You just gave your mother the cold shoulder. Don't you think that was a bit harsh?"

"Why do you care?" Kiara spat, catching Fuli off guard.

"What are you talking about?" Kiara was silent again, so Fuli stood up, narrowing her eyes as she slowly approached the princess. "Kiara, I've never had any issues with you in the past. If you have a problem with me, then go ahead and say it to my face, but I have never done anything to you-"

"Oh, really?!" She shouted, quickly getting to her feet and glaring at the cheetah. "You think you're just so perfect and innocent, don't you?"

"Kiara, I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"More lies!" She stalked her way over to Fuli, who didn't back down. "You know what you're doing, so just go ahead and admit it!"

"Well, if it's so obvious, then why don't you just go ahead and say it!"

"YOU'RE TRYING TO STEAL MY MOTHER FROM ME!"


	6. Ch 6- Confrontation

Fuli stood there with shock plastered all over her face, mouth agape and eyes wide. "W-what?" She asked, her tone of voice showing her disbelief at the accusation.

"You heard me," Kiara spat back in response, her harsh glare never leaving the cheetah's eyes. "All day, you've been acting like she was your mother, trying to cozy up to her. When I came back earlier, I saw you fast asleep, cuddled up against her for warmth. I was originally going to ask how you were doing after Kion told me that you were sick," she then looked Fuli up and down in disgust, "although I'm starting to question if you ever really sick."

Fuli scoffed dryly, no amusement behind her voice. "Not that you care, apparently, but Rafiki has made sure I'm feeling better. I'm not back to a hundred percent, but I was feeling a lot worse when I met up with the rest of the Guard. I was sneezing, I was shivering and I felt like I would pass out-"

"Oh, poor Fuli!" Kiara interrupted, feigning worry. "You must have felt _awful_!" Fuli was about to retort, but Kiara cut her off. "I wasn't finished, and don't even pretend you didn't enjoy cuddling with MY mother- I could see that pathetic smile on your face." Again, Fuli didn't get the chance to argue back before Kiara continued. "Tiifu and Zuri tried to warn me about what you were doing, but I laughed them off. I thought you were cooler than that, and they were making a deal out of nothing… but then I saw the two of you down at the Watering Hole."

Fuli's gaze softened. "Kiara, you don't under-"

"SHUT UP!" She roared, causing Fuli to step back and take a defensive stance, as the lioness cub looked ready to attack. "Don't tell me what I saw! There are only three people that I have seen my mother hug like that, and they are my dad, my brother and myself- AKA, her family. And the way you hugged her back just proves that you would like nothing more than to phase me out, and take my place." She turned her back on the cheetah, hiding her dejected, hurt expression. "And to come back and see the two of you… bonding in the way that I did with her when I was younger, hearing her laugh in the way she only ever laughed around me and Kion… it just showed that she would be happy to have you as a daughter. Apparently, I'm not good enough for her. Maybe that's why she and dad had a second cub."

Fuli didn't even know what to say at the confession she had just received. Her initial anger towards her friend's sister at being accused of trying to steal her mother had dissipated to almost nothing, and was instead replaced with a mixture of confusion, hurt and sympathy. She knew what it was like to not have her mother around, so she had a small understanding of why Kiara felt that way, and while she couldn't fully sympathise, she knew what she needed to do.

Taking a deep breath, Fuli adopted a serious expression on her face. "Kiara," she spoke, "look at me."

The princess scoffed dryly. "Why should I?"

"Because you need to hear what I'm about to say." Kiara rolled her eyes, not shifting her position in the slightest. Fuli, not being the most patient animal in the Pride Lands, emitted a low growl, followed by a huff. "Fine, don't look at me. Now, first of all, had it been up to me this morning, I wouldn't have been here today. I was prepared to go on patrol like I do every. Single. Day." A small smile pursed her lips. "But, no. Because Kion is as caring as he is, he wasn't willing to let me risk my health because of my pride. He asked me to wait in the cave while he and the others got Rafiki to have a look at me, but I was hungry, so I left to try and hunt. They found me when I wasn't able to get my hunt, and Kion wanted to make sure I stayed put. That's why he asked Nala to watch me- it wasn't her suggestion, it wasn't my suggestion. It was his."

"Do you even have a point with this?" Kiara spat, still refusing to give Fuli the satisfaction of looking at her.

The cheetah felt her patience wearing thin, but she thought better of acting on it, instead opting to take another deep breath. "The point is," she stressed through gritted teeth, "that she was kind enough to watch me today, and I'm thankful for that, but that's all it was- her being kind. Second of all, I know they're your friends, but do you really believe Tiifu and Zuri? They've never been that fond of me, and while I don't dislike them, I wouldn't exactly trust what they have to say." Once more, Kiara didn't move in response, but she didn't say anything this time. 'That's good, I guess,' she thought. 'At least she's listening.' "And as for what happened down at the Watering Hole-"

"I don't want to hear what you-"

"No, but you need to hear this!" Fuli insisted. "This is the most key bit, I promise." She took Kiara's silence as a sign to go ahead. "Nala took me down after I woke up, so that I could get something to drink, because I had a headache. While we were down there, we were ambushed by Janja and his goons." She saw the lioness cub's ears go up, but didn't point it out. "Nala asked me to go and get help. I insisted to stay by her side and protect her, but she put my safety before her own. I ran to find Kion and the others, and ran back to help once I had told them. It took every last ounce of energy I had to do that, so much so that when Kion and the others got there, I couldn't even stand. That hug that Nala gave me? That was for saving her from Janja. I insisted that it was all of us, but they insisted it was me." She waited again to see if Kiara would reply, but once again, she was met with silence. "I know you hate me right now, and you probably don't believe me, but if you ask Kion, he will tell you that as well."

She took a couple of steps closer, looking for any indication that Kiara had something to say. "There are a couple of things I'll admit," she said, her voice softer. "First of all, and this is hard for me to admit, but… I'm jealous of you."

Kiara finally turned her head to look at Fuli out of the corner of her eye. "You? Jealous of me?" She said in disbelief.

Fuli nodded. "Well, jealous of you and Kion. I'm jealous that you have such an… amazing, kind and wholehearted mom. Nala cares for you so much. If I had been born as her daughter, I would be the luckiest animal in the Pride Lands." Kiara quickly turned her head away, causing Fuli to frown. "But I would never try and steal her from you. I'd rather have you as a sister than do something like that." Kiara almost looked back around, but she decided not to. "And my mom might not have been around to watch over me like Nala has for you and Kion, but if she was, I wouldn't be the same Fuli I am right now, and I'm thankful for that."

While Fuli couldn't see it, Kiara actually looked a bit conflicted. 'Is she telling me the truth?' she pondered, her gaze now down on the floor. 'Or is she just saying that?'

"The other thing is that, throughout the day, Nala has been concerned about you. When we were down at the Watering Hole, the first thing she told me was that she was worried about how you were acting. While she might have said that me and the rest of the Guard are like family, because Kion is like family to us, she never once said she saw me as a daughter. Because you are her daughter, and no one in the entire Pride Lands, not anyone on this Earth, could take her away from you." She waited one last time, almost desperately hoping to hear Kiara say something, but she was met with silence. Her ears dropping in defeat, Fuli sighed sadly. "I know you don't believe me, but I would never try and deliberately hurt you. Just… think about it, okay?"

This time, she didn't wait for a response. Instead, she walked to the other side of the cave and lied down, closing her eyes so she could rest. Kiara waited maybe a minute before moving, turning around to look at Fuli. Seeing that the cheetah was asleep, Kiara decided to step out of the cave, walking to the edge of Pride Rock, where every royal birthing ceremony, wedding and betrothal had ever taken place. She looked over the horizon at her home, her future kingdom… but she wasn't focused on the beauty of it, like she had been the first time she had seen this view, or the many times since. Instead, she sat there in silence as Fuli's words played over and over every so often in her mind. While that on its own gave her much to think about, her own words that she had fired at Fuli also popped up whenever she was about to realise that she had been wrong to accuse her. She kept seeing the embrace that her mother shared with the cheetah at the Watering Hole; or their embrace while she was sleeping; or the laughter they shared when she had returned to the cave. These thoughts kept conflicting each other, making it harder and harder for her to achieve clarity. She became less and less aware of her surroundings, stuck in her own inner turmoil.

"Kiara?" She heard a voice call out. Turning back around, she saw that Kion had returned.

"Oh. Hey, Kion," she greeted, not bothering to change her expression or convince him she was fine. "I thought you were still on patrol?"

"We only had one last stop after seeing Rafiki," he explained as he approached her, noticing her lost expression. "Are… you okay, sis?"

"I'm just… thinking, Kion."

She turned around to look back at the horizon. "Do you… wanna talk about it?" She gently shook her head. "Okay. I'm gonna see how Fuli's doing then."

He turned around to walk away, but stopped after only a few steps, when she called out to him. "Kion…" She turned around and looked down at her paws nervously, before looking at him. "What happened at the Watering Hole?"

"You heard about that?"

"I saw you walking towards Rafiki, with mom carrying Fuli." This was only a half lie- she had seen this, but she hadn't known at the time where they were going.

"Well, me and the others had to deal with a hyena attack on the zebra herd. The hyenas left about as quickly as we arrived, and we calmed the herd down, although we never saw Janja among the hyenas. Not long after that was sorted, Fuli came out to find us. We initially started arguing, but after some rather… ahem, forceful convincing, she told us that the hyenas were attacking mom. She raced off to go help her, and we got there in time to help her." He laughed softly. "Honestly, though, mom didn't need saving by the time we arrived- Fuli had already done that." Kiara felt her heart drop slightly, as his recollection of events had pretty much perfectly Fuli's. "Because she was still unwell, though, this meant Fuli was too tired after, so we took her to see Rafiki."

"I see…" He was about to walk away again, before she stopped him again. "Kion, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Fuli… what do you think about her?"

"What do I think? … honestly, I think she's great. She can be cocky and impatient at times, sure, but she shows that she cares about others when it matters, and over my team being in charge of The Lion Guard, I've come to… depend on her. She's more than just a friend at this point, she's like…"

"Family?" Kiara finished for him, and he nodded. She looked towards the entrance to the cave, her mind having reached clarity. "I think you're right." She looked back at Kion. "Thanks, Kion, you've… you've helped me put my thoughts in order."

He smiled his usual confident smile at her. "No problem, Kiara. I'm gonna be in the cave."

"Alright." While he walked away, she turned back around to look up at the sky, the sun still high above the clouds. "I was wrong," she told herself. "I shouldn't have thought any of that. I should have had more trust in my mother. But, more importantly, I should have had more faith in Fuli. Even if we aren't that close, she is still a friend to me. It was stupid of me to think that… that she would try to do something like that." She sighed a bit, but still had a determined look in her eye. "I've got some making up to do."


	7. Ch 7- Making Amends

"Alright, everyone!" Nala announced, as her and the rest of the hunting party returned to Pride Rock, dragging their fresh catch with them. "That was a good hunt today. You all did well, so enjoy. We'll reconvene tomorrow." The lionesses all said their goodbyes, taking their share of the food with them, with Nala dragging hers up towards her cave. As she walked into the cave, she noticed that Kiara, Kion and Fuli were all talking in the cave, smiling happily. 'Something that I haven't seen a lot of from her today,' the mother pondered.

The lioness cub looked over when she heard her mother dragging her catch into the cave, and smiled. "Hey, mom!" She greeted, alerting the other two to her presence.

"Hey, mom!" Kion also greeted, while Fuli simply smiled and waved as the two lion cubs approached Nala, the queen dropping the food to nuzzle her children.

"How was the hunt?" Kiara asked.

"It was good, dear. What about you? How was your day?"

"It's been okay."

"Is dad gonna be here soon?" Kion asked.

"He should be back soon, Kion. He went to visit Ma Tembo and her herd."

Kion nodded, understandingly. While he walked back to Fuli, Kiara looked down at her paws, looking a little nervous. "Uh, mom?" She asked, her voice gentle. "Could we… talk for a moment?"

She smiled down at her daughter, thankful that she was finally opening up to her. "Kiara, you know that you can always speak to me. I'm always here for you if you need me to be."

Kiara looked up, smiling. "Thanks, mom."

"We'll give you some space," Fuli told them, gesturing for Kion to follow her. As she walked out of the cave, she looked at Kiara and gave her a nod and a smile, before she and Kion exited the cave, leaving the queen and her daughter alone.

"So, Kiara," Nala spoke first, stretching her hind legs, "what is it that you want to talk about?"

"Well… uh…" Kiara's ears folded against her head, as she brushed her paw against the ground. 'How do I tell my mother I was worried that she didn't love me?!' she thought to herself, the question wearing down her resolve.

Nala looked on and noticed the hesitation in her daughter's eyes, bringing a frown to her face. "Kiara?" The cub looked at Nala. "If there is something that is troubling you, please… talk to me." Kiara knew what she was trying to do, but still found herself unable to form the right words. "Kiara…" this time, the lioness' voice was softer, just above a whisper. "I'm worried about you. You haven't seemed… like yourself today." She let out a gentle laugh, but didn't smile as her gaze shifted to her paws. "Perhaps it's just me being overprotective, and maybe I'm worrying over nothing… but as a mother, I can't help but worry about you. You are a huge part of my life, a piece of my heart, even. I love you so much, Kiara, and it-" She stopped herself when she looked up and saw the cub looking down, tears dripping from her eyes as she quietly sobbed. Nala's motherly instincts kicked in instantly, as she pulled her daughter in for a hug, allowing the distraught cub to cry into her chest. "Kiara, what's wrong?"

"I… I-I'm sorry," Kiara cried. "I… I didn't mean to worry you." She pulled out of the hug, looking down in guilt. "I'm an idiot."

It hurt Nala to hear her daughter even think that, let alone say it. "Kiara, you are not an idiot!"

"Yes I am!" Nala recoiled, shocked by the harsh tone. Kiara looked up, her eyes angry, but not at her mother- rather, at herself. "When you were down at the Watering Hole, I saw you and Fuli hugging each other, not knowing that she had… saved you..." She had to pause to stop herself from choking on her words, while her tears showed no sign of slowing, "from the hyenas. The way you hugged her, and the way you… held her while she was… sleeping…" She looked away in shame. "I thought that you… that you were… trying to… replace me." She heard her mother gasp, and couldn't bring herself to see the devastatingly hurt expression on her face. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be thinking like that, but… the only animals who I've seen you treat like that are me, Kion and dad. I just thought that… that you would rather-"

"Kiara, stop." Kiara finally looked back at her mother, who was on the verge of tears herself. Despite the sad expression, Kiara could still see warmth in her eyes. "Kiara… I am sorry if I made you think that I would want to replace you with Fuli. I had not originally planned to be looking after her today, but when Kion asked if I could watch over her today,

I was happy to do so. Make no mistake, Fuli is a good friend of Kion's, not to mention part of the Lion Guard, which makes her like family… but I could never replace you with her."

"But… you just said yourself… she's like family."

"Yes, LIKE family. She is a close friend of our family, and I will always be thankful of that, but I could never care for her more than you." She then began to smile as memories surfaced in her mind. "You know… the day you were born was possibly the greatest, happiest day of my life. I still remember when you first opened your eyes. You were this cute little ball of fluff, and as I held you in my paws, they opened. Two beautiful, brown eyes that looked around in wonder, until you looked at me. That moment when our eyes met, I knew that I would love you for as long as I breath. My heart swelled, because thanks to you, there was another piece to it." The tears were finally breaking free, but she refused to stop them. "When I heard you 'mew' for the first time, I cried as I nuzzled you. And for every day since, I have counted my blessings, and thanked the kings above… that you were my daughter. I will continue to do so until the day I die, because you will always be my daughter- not Fuli, not Tiifu or Zuri, but you- and I will always love you."

Kiara couldn't hold back any more, and rushed back into her mother's embrace. "I'm sorry, mom. I… I love you too, mama."

Nala smiled as she hugged her daughter, feeling her warmth against her own, a couple of tears dropping onto her back. "I know, sweetheart. It's all okay."

Outside of the cave, Fuli was smiling, having listened in long enough to hear the last part of the conversation. 'There you go, Kiara,' she thought, before turning around and walking towards Kion.

"Well?" He asked. "Do you know what they're talking about?"

Even though she definitely did, he didn't know she did, so she shook her head. "No, but by the sounds of it, they should be about done."

"Oh, okay." Hearing footsteps, they turned and saw Simba heading their way, so Kion smiled. "Hey, dad!"

"Hello, Kion," he responded to Kion with a matching smile, then looked at Fuli. "And hello to you too, Fuli."

"Hello, your majesty," she greeted.

"What are you kids doing out here?"

"We're just waiting for mom and Kiara to finish talking."

Simba's eyebrow raised at the explanation his son gave him. "Really? Do you know what they are talking about?" Kion shook his head. "I see."

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Fuli suggested. "I think they're probably finished."

Simba was a little skeptical about what the cheetah said, but didn't think further about it. "Alright." He walked past the two cubs, who followed the king towards the cave. Upon entering, he saw the two females, smiling at each other. "Everything alright in here?"

Nala and Kiara turned and saw the king standing there, looking mildly concerned. "Hey, dad!" His daughter greeted as she approached him, nuzzling him when he leaned down.

"Hello, sweetheart." He then looked over at his wife. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, dear," Nala told him. "We were just having a mother-and-daughter moment."

"I see." He looked at the meat Nala had caught with the hunting party, lying in the middle of the floor. "I see the hunt went well."

"Yes, it did. Now that you're here, we can eat." She looked over at the cheetah. "And yes, you will be joining us."

Fuli, although surprised at how it was less of a request and more of a statement, nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Nala."

"Of course. Now, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

The night was young in the Pride Lands, the sun having finally set. The previously colourful area was now covered in darkness, lit only by the many stars in the sky, watching over all the animals as they drifted to sleep. Sat at the peak of Pride Rock, Kiara was looking up at the beautiful night sky, trying to make out the constellations laid out by the great kings of the past, lost in her own world.

"Kiara?" She heard someone ask, bringing her back to reality. She turned and was able to see Fuli coming her way, though her gaze was also towards the stars. "I didn't expect you to be out here."

"Hey, Fuli," she greeted, turning to look at the stars. "I like to come out here to look at the stars, it… helps me to sleep."

Fuli sat next to the lioness cub, smiling. "Me too."

They sat there in silence, neither looking at the other, feeling the cool breeze through their furs, until Kiara finally broke the silence. "Why?" Fuli looked at her, confused as she noticed the conflicted expression on her face. "Why did you try and help me earlier? I was being a moody, spoilt, ignorant… I was a complete idiot, and I was incredibly rude to you. You had every right to hate me for even thinking that, let alone say it to your face, but you didn't. You told me the truth, even though I wasn't willing to hear it, and you were honest with me. I don't understand."

Fuli laughed gently, prodding Kiara lightly with her paw. "First of all, I'm glad you said it to my face rather than behind my back. And I told you the truth, because you're not an idiot. Sure, you misunderstood the situation, but you listened when it mattered, and you made things right. I just wanted to give you a push in the right direction. Besides, I couldn't hate you- I know I've probably said it before, but you're like a sister to me." She looked back to the stars. "Your family are lucky to have you. You're not perfect, no one is… but you can see that. That's what allows us to grow, knowing what our mistakes are and figuring out how to fix them."

"When did you get so wise?"

She chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far, but I guess Kongwe has rubbed off on me."

Kiara couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Fuli. I really needed that."

"You're welcome. You know, I'm lucky to know you guys."

"I'm… I'm lucky to know you too." Her lips parted as a gentle yawn escaped her. "I think I'm going to get some sleep. Are you coming in?"

Fuli nodded. "I'll join you guys soon. I think I'm gonna stay out here a bit longer."

"Okay. Good night."

With that, the lioness cub walked away, leaving the cheetah to stare at the sky alone. Her thoughts turned to the day she had had: finding out she was ill; failing to hunt in the morning; her initial reservations towards being watched over by Nala; their conversation at the Watering Hole; the hyena ambush; the harsher conversation with Kiara; sharing a meal with the Royal Family; and the talk she just had with Kiara.

'Even though I didn't enjoy missing out on patrol,' she thought to herself, 'I'm thankful that Nala watched over me today. Sure, I was embarrassed at first, but she really looked after me. If I had gone on patrol, I wouldn't have been able to perform to my best, which could have put others at risk. Hopefully, tomorrow, I'll be back to a hundred percent, and will be able to perform my duties to the best of my ability.' She smiled as another realisation came to her mind. 'Plus, this allowed me to appreciate what I have. They may not be my real family,' she looked towards the cave entrance, 'but they're the closest thing I have to one, both the Royal Family and the rest of the Guard.' She returned her gaze to the stars above. She wasn't how long it was, but it wasn't long before someone else joined her out there.

"Fuli?"


	8. Ch 8- A Good Night's Rest

Fuli turned and saw Kion approaching her. "I saw Kiara come in by herself, and thought you might like some company," he told her, his smile visible even in the dark of the night.

"Sure," she told him, smiling back, "I'd be happy to."

"Thanks." The two of them sat, side by side, staring at the starry night sky. "Since when were you one to stargaze?"

"Ever since I met Kongwe. Don't get me wrong, I'm not slowing down any time soon. If anything, I'll probably just get faster."

Kion chuckled. "I wouldn't dare imagine otherwise."

She smirked at him. "You better not. I'm not the fastest in The Pride Lands for nothing." Her eyes returned to the stars, causing them to glisten. "Yet, she did have an impact on me. She made me realise that I don't have to take things fast all the time, you know? There are times where I need to go fast, like when I'm on patrol with you guys and we have to deal with Janja and his crooks, or there's an animal who needs saving… but there are also times when it's better if I take it easy." She didn't realise that Kion was no longer looking at the stars, but looking at her instead, his eyes curious. "I used to think that, if I went full speed everywhere I went, I would be able to see more, experience more… but now, I realise that, if I take it easy when it really matters, I'm able to see what really matters. It's like I have a new appreciation for… everything."

Silence befell the two for a few moments, Fuli's eyes tracing the stars to see what shapes they would make out tonight. Neither paid any mind to the air that was becoming colder, the breeze blowing through their furs or how late it was getting- they just sat their.

It wasn't until Kion started chuckling that Fuli looked at the lion cub, tilting her head when she saw he was smirking. "You know, I thought I had you figured out," he said. "For as long as I've known you, you've been more of a solitary animal, sometimes preferring your own company to being around others. I've always known that, and to be honest, I've always thought it was… kind of cool." Both were thankful that it was late, so that the other didn't see their cheeks heat up. "And sure, you hang out with me and the rest of the Guard when not on patrol, but I still remember the times when you were… less than willing to join us."

They both laughed at this, reminiscing on the early days of their friendship. "Yeah," she said with a sigh, "you guys were pretty persuasive."

"By which, you mean Bunga was very insistent." She laughed louder as she nodded. "Still, it took you a while before you were comfortable hanging out with us."

"Well, that's what cheetahs are like! You don't expect me to believe you're surprised by this?"

"No, of course not. I always knew that you were like that." He shook his head lightly. "What I mean is… well, you weren't like that as much today."

She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I know you weren't happy about being taken off patrol today, and I know you'll want to go back on patrol tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You sound surprised."

"I'm not surprised at that… however, I am surprised how… accepting you were of this." He could tell she didn't understand what he was saying, so he continued. "I was expecting you to put up more of a fight when I told you that my mother agreed to watch you, but you seemed to accept it quite easily."

"Well, don't forget, I wasn't feeling great. I'd used a lot of energy trying to hunt, and I could tell you were serious about it. I didn't have the energy to fight you over it."

He nodded, still smiling. "And I'm glad you did. I was worried about you when Ono confirmed that you were sick. I didn't want to see you… well, Y'know." She was, once again, thankful the dark of night covered her cheeks, as she was flattered by the way he expressed his care for her. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if something had happened to you."

"I know." Her voice was slightly more gentle now, showing that she appreciated his concerns. "You know I wouldn't let anything happen as long as I could… but I'm glad you made the decision. Honestly, if things were the other way around, I might have made the same choice, because I wouldn't want anything to happen to you either."

He nodded. "It wasn't easy, being on patrol without you, but I had to take your well-being into account." His smile turned into somewhat more of a smirk. "Although, that's not the only thing you surprised me with."

She smirked back at him. "It's not?"

He shook his head. "No. I also noticed that, from what Kiara and mom told me, as well as what I saw, that you were quite… comfortable with my mother."

If she was thankful before, then she was practically giving her thanks to the Kings of the Past that he couldn't see how flustered she was, the redness in her face shining through her fur. "Uh…. C-comfortable?!" She stuttered.

"Uh Huh. Apparently, you were asleep against her?"

Her blush only intensified, more than she thought could be possible. "W-w-well, t-that was your m-mother's idea, n-not mine!"

"But you enjoyed it, didn't you?"

"N… n-n-no…"

He chuckled slightly, causing her to groan. "Fuli, relax. I don't think less of you for enjoying a hug. Kiara still sleeps next to our mother, and I do some nights. There's no shame in that."

She pouted. "Easy for you to see," she grumbled, "she's YOUR mother."

He chuckled once again, amused by her familiar brand of stubbornness. 'That's more like the Fuli I know,' he thought, before locking eyes. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm surprised how easy it was for you to get along with my mom, but at the same time, I'm glad you were able to do that. It means a lot to me, really." He took a little step forward. "You know… I noticed that you helped my sister." Her eyes widened a little. "I know that it's not my business what you two spoke about, or what she and mom spoke about, so I won't ask, but if I may say… you're really great, you know?"

Just as her blush had started to fade, it flared up again. "You think I'm great?"

"Yeah. And I'm not talking about your role in the Guard, because that goes without saying." She rolled her eyes, as the word 'obviously' came to mind. "I can tell from how they smiled when we were all talking after dinner that they care about you. I really enjoy having you around, not just as a friend, but…" His cheeks started to heat up as he swept his paw along the ground. "Well, I know you've heard this before, but… you're like… family to me."

She smiled, finding it cute how he sounded so nervous. "I thought you were the fiercest, not the soppiest?" She jested, accompanied with a small giggle. "But, honestly, thank you. I know I said it before, but I see all of you as family too. Before, I just meant you and the rest of the Guard, but now… I mean you, the rest of the Guard," she looked towards the cave entrance, "and them."

"I think they would agree with you there." She looked back at him and smiled, moving forward to give him a hug. As they did so, he felt her shiver. "Fuli, you're cold."

"Oh." She just noticed how much the temperature had dropped, the cold now uncomfortable. "I must have been out here longer than I thought." They both laughed quietly, still looking at each other when they released the hug. "I guess we should go get some sleep."

"Sounds like a plan."

So, the two of them went into the cave, where they saw the three other lions fast asleep, with Kiara nestled into her mother's fur under her paw, smiling comfortably. Fuli smiled at the sight, before finding a spot in the cave to lie down, a short distance away from the others. Lying down on her side, she shut her eyes, but found it difficult to get comfortable, due to the fact that the ground was as cold as ice under her body, causing her to squirm and shiver. Kion, who had lied down close to his family, looked over at where Fuli was laid out, and frowned. He knew she wasn't going to be comfortable like that, and feared that the cold would cause her to be ill the next day.

'Not if I can help it,' he thought, quickly making a decision. He got to his feet and sauntered over to the cheetah, who didn't show any sign that she knew he was approaching her. When he was close enough, he laid down and used his left paw to pull her close to him, causing her to open her eyes and look at him in surprise. He gently smiled back, instantly relaxing her as she snuggled up close to him, brushing her head under his chin as her way of thanking him. The two laid their, still as can be, with Kion's head rested on Fuli's back, and her head nestled under his neck. He noticed that she was no longer squirming or shivering, instead feeling her warmth and the steady rise and fall of her chest as she peacefully slept. He decided to join her, and gently closed his eyes. 'Goodnight, Fuli.'

* * *

The sun rose over the Pride Lands, indicating the start of a new day. The air was still cool from the night just ended, but nowhere near as harsh, and the land was coated in an orange glow. At Pride Rock, the light was beginning to crack through the opening to a cave, falling on the eyes of a certain cheetah. Her eyes squinted, before steadily opening, wincing slightly to adjust to the light. She looked around, and was about to question her surroundings, before she recalled the previous day's events. This led her to realise that she felt a weight on her, and turned her head to see Kion was still asleep, a content smile on his face as his chest rose up and down with every breath.

'Oh, Kion,' she thought, a gentle blush coming to her cheeks. 'Why do you have to be so cute?' She decided that, since it was early, she might be able to get something to eat before they noticed she was gone. So, she gently slipped out of Kion's hugging grasp and stood up. She noticed that, compared to twenty-four hours prior, her condition was much better- her body was warm, she had no headache and no need to sneeze, her legs weren't shaky, and her eyes weren't watery. 'Yes! Thank the Kings I'm feeling better!'

Feeling determined, she prepared to leave the cave, but after a few steps, she stopped. Turning around, she walked back over to Kion. "Thanks for everything, Kion," she gently whispered, then placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, causing his smile to grow wide and giddy. She giggled. 'So cute.' With that taken care of, she left the cave, and began walking down Pride Rock.

"Fuli?" She heard someone ask after only a few steps. Turning around, the cheetah saw it was Kiara, smiling at her. "Good to see you're up! How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," she answered.

"Hmm… I wonder why," she spoke, a sly, teasing tone to her voice. "Was it the cuddling you and Kion did all night… or was it the kiss you just gave him? And hear I thought you said he was like family?"

Fuli's cheeks flared up. "He… h-he is… b-b-but, that doesn't mean-"

Kiara chuckled, cutting her off. "I'm just teasing you, Fuli. I can see how you feel about my brother. It's cute."

"So… you're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad? If anything, I'm happy that you like him- it means that, when you marry him someday, we may get to be actual sisters."

"Well… I don't know about that…"

This time, they both laughed. "It's good to see you're doing better, Fuli."

"Thanks. I'm glad to see you're doing okay too."

"All thanks to you." Her expression turned more excited as an idea came to her mind. "Hey, when you're done on patrol later, would you like to hang out, just us?"

Fuli's expression became one of enthusiasm and surprise. "Really? Just us?" Kiara nodded. "I'd love that!"

"Great! When you're done, meet me by the Watering Hole!"

"Sounds like a plan!" She felt her stomach rumble slightly, causing her to look down at her stomach, before smiling meekly at the princess. "I need to go hunt."

"You know, if you asked mom, I'm sure she'd let you eat with us again."

Fuli gently shook her head. "That's okay. Besides, you should know as queen in training, that it's important I practice my hunting skills." Kiara nodded in understanding. "Can you do me a favour, though? Could you thank your mother for everything she did for me yesterday? I know I did last night, but it can't hurt to say it again."

"No problem, Fuli."

"Thanks, Kiara. I'll see you later."

With that, Fuli ran down Pride Rock. She quickly got to the bottom, and ran for several minutes, until she found a lone antelope. Crouching to the ground, she slowly crept up on it, staying upwind of the unsuspecting prey. Once she was ready, she counted down in her head, before pouncing. While the antelope was smart enough to run, Fuli quickly gave chase, a determined look in her eye, and as long as she was at a hundred percent, there was nothing that could stop her- because she was Fuli, the fastest in all of the Pride Lands.

 **THE END**


End file.
